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Cybersecurity is one of three tracks in new Homeland Security Certificate program

April 15, 2013

Students interested in law enforcement, emergency management or cybersecurity – or people working in those fields already – may benefit from the new Homeland Security Certificate Program at the Community College of Rhode Island.

This yearlong 18-credit program will give students a credential in homeland security. Graduates may continue their education or use what they have learned on the job.

“This program will strengthen a student career-wise; it can be used for career development at any age,” said Joseph Arsenault, program director of the CCRI Emergency Management program who also oversees the Homeland Security program.

“If you already work in law enforcement and want to strengthen yourself for a promotion, you can come back to school and add this to your portfolio,” he said.

Students in the program will complete two phases of instruction. In the first, they will take three introductory courses about the Department of Homeland Security and its responsibilities. Students will learn how the agency interacts with state and local law enforcement and the ways in which homeland security practices touch a variety of jobs. Topics include border security, the prevention of domestic terrorism, cybersecurity and disaster relief.

In the second phase, students will take three courses in a specialty area of their choice, known as a track. The choices are: law enforcement, cybersecurity or emergency management.

Students can begin taking classes in the Homeland Security program before choosing their specialty track. Arsenault said they will get an overview of each track during the first phase of the program that should help inform their choice.

“What we try to teach in this program is to take a broad view of the homeland security enterprise,” Arsenault said. “Some people think that if we put more agents in the field or put more walls up for border security, that’s going to straighten things out. But what it really takes is collaboration between many different policies and efforts, including intelligence and technology.”

CCRI’s Homeland Security Certificate program was born out of a 2010 collaboration between the college and the Transportation Security Administration. Under that agreement, TSA employees took courses at the college to improve their understanding of security issues. Those courses have been modified and expanded for CCRI students.

The CCRI Homeland Security Certificate program will begin this fall, but registration is underway. For more information, email Arsenault.

Those registering for Homeland Security courses online should look for the course code HMLS to find the program’s three core offerings. You can browse all available courses online.